Scott Sinclair believes he will thrive on the "hatred" of the Old Firm derby as he makes his first trip to Ibrox to face Rangers as a Celtic player.

The two rivals will meet on December 31, with the Hoops looking to continue their impressive start to the Scottish Premiership season.

Sinclair scored in Celtic's 5-1 demolition of Rangers in the first league derby of the season, also featuring in the 1-0 League Cup at Hampden Park the following month.

Now the winger is looking forward to visiting Ibrox as a rival player and expects to relish the red-hot atmosphere.

"It is great," he said. "It is great for all footballers. The hatred, that all the fans don't like you and all our fans are behind us.

"This is the whole point of being a footballer, that excitement and the atmosphere when you go to stadiums like that.

"It's obviously the massive game. All the fans will be up for that one."

He added: "I was on the bench but didn't play in the Man United derby.

"I played home and away against Cardiff when I was at Swansea but it doesn't compare to the Old Firm derbies up here, it doesn't come close to Celtic-Rangers.

"It is so loud and hostile you can't hear any of your team-mates. It is great. These kinds of game are massive and just such a big occasion."